Strzelecki NorthGrand FinalDay The Newborough machine

Lawn Bowls Strzelecki North Saturdaypennant

BY MICHAEL HOLROYD

SATURDAY’S Grand Finals were aresounding success with alarge crowd turning out at Traralgon Bowls Club to cheer on their favourite teamin excellent bowling conditions in good weather.

Going in to the day, the competitions committee faced continual criticism from players suggesting that it was unfair to play matches at Traralgon with Traralgon playing at home in the top three divisions.

Nonetheless, agreat day of bowls was had, with hundredsofspectatorsscattered around the rinks of the Traralgon Bowls Club.

Celebrations were aplenty at the day’s end, as six separate clubs won throughout the six divisions. Droughts were broken and dynasties continued as the weekend pennant came to aclose.

Division 1

NEWBOROUGH went in to the Division1Grand Final as the underdogs, even though they were aiming for four premierships in arow; afeat that had not been achieved in recent times.

Traralgon, thehot favourites, would again play at home,after soundly defeating Newborough on their home turf afortnight ago.

Newborough had to battle to defeat Drouinlast week in the Preliminary Final.

Traralgon got away to agood start and held a handy lead during the early stages of the match. Newborough fought back to have ahandy lead at the drinks break.

Play seesawed for anumberofends until three of the four rinks had finished with Newborough leading by five shots.

Tommy Lodge and his rink of Barry Daley, John Backman and Scott Jones trailed Jim Scullinand his rink of Nick Turnbull, Pat Trewin and Brenton Hackett 16-21 with two ends to play.

Lodge ended the season having not lost amatch throughout the season and had been well beaten in each of the two finals played in recent weeks, and must have been feeling the pressure.

Scullingained two shots in the first of these ends afterLodge managed to draw his third shot, leaving Scullin needing to gain three shots to force all teams to playanextra end or fourshots to win

Turnbull got Scullin away to agood start before the jack got moved and Lodge managed to draw third shot with each of the skippers having one bowl to come.

Scullin played ahandy bowl which just rolled toofar leaving Traralgon two shots up on the end butone shot behind in the game.

Lodge conceded two shots with the score 16-25 and accepted the win to the jubilationofhis teammates and many spectators.

Alan Grubb and his rink of Phil Marston, Paul Sherman and Neale Houston had a23-15 win over Mick Coram and his rink of Angela Hackett, Ian Kirkup and Shane O’Loughlin. Ryan Marston and his rink of Tony Knipping, JoshKennedy and Rod Lewishad a24-22 win over Vin McIlwain and his rinkofKirsty Van den Hoff, Shane Chapman and Matt Eccles, whilst Kevin Lovett andhis rink of Dave Wurlod,Jo-Anne Michaels and George Lambosdrew 17-17 with Matt Ferrari and his rink of Ian Hilsley, Chris Ward and Michael Yacoub.

 NEWBOROUGH 80 DEFEATED TRARALGON 79

DIVISION 2

TRARALGON (2), after winning the secondSemi Final,wereseeking to break a28-year hoodoo when they took on Longwarry in the Grand Final.

Longwarry got away to agood lead until Traralgon (2) began to peg them back, until the sides were neck-and-neck with afew ends to play, and Traralgon (2) ended up winning by four shots with three rinks in front.

Ron Sherlock and his rink of Matt Ogilvie, Ian Bloomfield and Maurie Sutcliffe had a26-21 win over Adam Proctor and his rink of Mark Serong, Col Finger and John McCarthy.

Abe Roeder and his rink of Chris Thomas, Rosie Lorenz andBillFrancis hada 23-19win over Ken White and his rink of Hank Metselaar, Ian Peterson and Glenn Pask.

Cary Locke and his rink of Jedd Ladgrove, Al Hegarty and Trevor James had a19-15 win over Ken Towt and his rink of Peter Lieshout, Robert Proctor and Trevor Kitchin.

Jason Lieshout and his rink of Grant Pask,Barry and Russell White had agood win for Longwarry, defeating Kevin Enguell and his rinkofTom Irvine, Kathy Smilesand Dave Currie 23-14, leaving Traralgon (2) the winners by four shots, giving Warragul the opportunity to remain in Division 1for another season.

 TRARALGON (2) 82 DEFEATED LONGWARRY78

Division 3

GARFIELD won anail-biting finish against Traralgon (3) by two shots after being soundly defeated at home in the second Semi Final.

ShaneOliver and his rink of Graeme Burton, Henry Breteler and Richard Ross had a26-16 win overBrendon Smilesand his rink of ElaineSwan, Bill Munday and Paddy Francis.

Stephen Whyte and his rink of Alan Wilson, Alan White and Gary Helmore had a20-17 win over May Cross and her rink of Robert Marsh, Max Cumming and Barry Fernance.

Traralgon (4) was well-served by Bill Kirby and hisrinkofJohnKong, Greg Swan and Ron Baker who defeated Nick Henwood and his rink of Les Pumphrey, Gary Payne and Bob Lamport 17-12, andGordonSlimmon and his rink of ClintJones, Ian Boyes and Ken Mooney who defeated Tom Cleary and his rink of Frank Prins, LeonardPreece and Joe Lenders.

 GARFIELD 77 DEFEATED TRARALGON (3) 75

Division 4

TRAFALGAR (2) faced off withYarragon aiming to repeat their second Semi Final win.

Yarragon got away to agood start, however the experience of Trafalgar (2) came to the fore as they drew away for asound win as the afternoon progressed.

Mal Clymo and his rink of Terry Robertson, Bernie Detering and Peter Watson hada 21-7 win over Jarrod Grigg and his rink of Richard Chetland, Ethan Storer and Bevan Romans.

FrankFarrugia and his rink of Alex Brodie, Peter Rosenboom and Graham Hill had a28-15 win over Jason Roberts and his rink of Graham

Wright, David Swingler and Murray Grigg. Anthony Mitchinson and his rinkofDerek Jones, Lawrence Heenan and Ian Riley drew 25-25 with Richard Polmear and his rink of Peter Handley, Gary Green and Kevin Arnold.

The lone winner for Yarragon was Sam Mazza and his rink of Ross McDermott, Rhett Galley and Kevin McLaren, with a22-13 win over Bruce Giles and his rink of Anthony Dalgleish, Daryl Horner and Heather Taylor.

 TRAFALGAR (2) 87 DEFEATED YARRAGON 69

DIVISION 5

MORWELL Club (2) to their great relief, achieved success after losing four Grand Finals in arow, with asolid victory over Neerim District (2).

Gail Rejmer and her rink of Mick Reynolds,Joyce Hughes and Sue Karleusa had a23-11 win over MalCollins and his team of Graeme Wingrove, Bronwyn Throup and George Rymer. AndrewShepley and his rink of Barbara Lewis, Jo Leslie and Beryl Noblett had a16-14 win over Jim Schroeder and his teamofDes Pelly, Richard Kerr and John Rochford.

Jan Karleusaand her rink of Leanne Broadbent, Geoff Unwin and Lisa Arnold drew 14-14 with Russell Meehan and his team of Jim Fallon, Gerald Englestad and Greg Bond.

 MORWELL CLUB (2) 53 DEFEATED NEERIM DISTRICT (2) 39

DIVISION 6

YALLOURN North (2) had agood win over Neerim District (3) with Barry Lester and his rink of Glenn Swenson,Elizabeth Dobsonand John Smith winning 20-12 against Cookie Halligan and her rink of Terry Giffin, Gerald Winter and Kay Cousins. MarkBentall and his rink of Anthony Wasiukiewicz, Matthew Coutts and John Wasiukiewicz defeated Steve Halligan and his rink of Peter Nolan,Neville Cousins and Julie Adams 18-16.

 YALLOURN NORTH (2) 38 DEFEATED NEERIM DISTRICT (3) 28

Careful: Newborough’sJo-AnneMichaels in atight battle

The moment: Newborough playerscelebrate upon realising theyhavethe Division 1flag up

Chickendinner: